US3282013A - Window mounting - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 1, 1966 J. H. BOICEY 3,282,013

WINDOW MOUNTING Filed May 15, 19

INVENTOI? 5. BY g w fiMgE e A TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,232,013 WINDOW MUUNTING James H. Boicey, Toledo, @hio, assignor to Libbey-Owens- %l;d Glass Company, Toledo, Ghio, a corporation of Filed May 13, 1964, Ser. No. 366,990 4 Claims. (Cl. 52-624) This invention relates broadly to mountings for glass and more particularly to an improved clamping device for securing a glass sheet in a mounting structure.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved mounting structure including a clamping plate, which, in combination with a support place, is adapted to mount a glass sheet therebetween in such a manner as to more uniformly distribute the securing pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clamping plate having suitably disposed ridges rising from one surface and adapted to clamp a glass sheet along one marginal edge against the support plate and with the ridge areas engaging the glass surface in a manner to more uniform-1y distribute the effect of such clamping pressure throughout said marginal edge.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clamping plate for clamping the lower marginal edge of a glass sheet is mounted relation to a support plate, said glass sheet and plates having aligned and longitudinally spaced bolt receiving openings, and the clamping plate being provided on the surface facing the glass sheet with inwardly directed ridges adapted for bearing contact with a surface of the glass sheet, adjacent to but spaced from said openings whereby maximum clamping pressure is applied to the glass sheet at points remote from said openings.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a per'sepctive view of a part of a mounting structure for an automobile side window embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side view of the clamping plate of the structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a transverse vertical section as taken on line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal section as taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 3. 1

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings the mounting structure as there shown, and which is generally designated by the numeral 10, is adapted to support a sheet of glass 11 within a body opening in the side of an automobile. As is well known, such side-lites or windows are adapted to be raised and lowered by means of window regulators to close or open the respective openings in automobile doors or the sides of the body of the automobile. To this end, the lower marginal edge of the glass sheet is conventionally secured, in one way or another, in and to a suitable mounting frame.

When so carried, the major portion of the glass sheet is subjected to weaving or swaying motions in normal use which are directed toward and absorbed in the secured, lower marginal edge. It is therefore recognized that the manner of mounting the glass sheet can, to a great extent, determine the physical resistance and life of the glass employed for this purpose.

A typical mounting structure adapted, in accordance with this invention, to absorb even unusually rough movement and impact without injury to the glass includes a metal support plate 12 which can be operatively attached to a window regulator mechanism by means of chanice neled track members 13, and a clamping plate 14. The plate 12 is provided with bolt receiving openings or holes 15 located in suitably outwardly relieved areas 16.

Preparatory to the mounting of the glass sheet 11, which may be of tempered or laminated safety glass, a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes 18 for receiving mounting bolts are made through the glass sheet adjacent to or in the lower marginal edge portion thereof. In the case of tempered glass, such bolt openings are drilled therein before the heat-treating process.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the glass sheet 11 is placed in mounted relation between the metal plate 12 and clamping plate 14- with strips of rubber 19 being located between said plates 12 and 14 and the surfaces of the sheet. Bolts 20 are then passed through openings 15 in plate 12 and openings 21 in plate 1 both openings or holes being aligned with holes 18 in the sheet 11. Preferably the openings 18 in the glass sheet are of suitable diameter as to receive a rubber washer or grommet 22 through which a bolt will be inserted. A secure clamping relation is thus effected by a lock-washer 23 and nut 24 placed and tightly turned up on each bolt.

Now, one reason for breakage and failure of a glass sheet to survive excessive vibrations or impacts has been due to the fact that, in prior art structures, the clamping pressure has been localized in the body of the glass around the bolt holes 18 and that the metal supporting and clamping plates did not uniformly support the glass throughout its entire lower marginal edge.

The present invention, however, overcomes these difficulties by the provision, inter alia, of an improved clamping plate formed with inwardly directed ridges extending both longitudinally and transversely in parallel spaced relation to the bolt openings in the plate. For this purpose, as shown in FIG. 2, the plate 14, which can be conventionally produced by die stamping operations, is formed With longitudinally disposed semicircular grooves 30 and 31 which provide continuous ridges in the surface of the plate facing the adjacent surface of the glass sheet. These ridges are located in substantially equally spaced parallel relation to the bolt openings 21 in the body of the plate. The provision of longitudinal ridges establishes parallel and defined surfaces that maintain rigid contact with the surface of the glass sheet throughout the length of the clamping plate. However, to more effectively separate the actual areas of clamping force from the glass surface, parallel equally spaced ridges or grooves 32 and 33 are located adjacent the openings 21 and in transverse relation to the ridges 30 and 31. As viewed in FIGS. 3 and 4, these ridges also protrude from the surface of the plate directed toward the glass sheet 11. In consequence, the ridges establish rigid bearing surfaces tending to distribute the securing pressure uniformly along and across the lower marginal edge portion 35 of the glass sheet and thereby reduce, if not completely eliminate, the possibility for clamping forces to localize at the bolt openings. This permits maximum clamping pressure to be applied to-the glass sheet at points remote from the bolt holes 18.

This becomes particularly apparent as viewed in FIG. 4 in connection with FIG. 3 since the provision of ridges 30, 31, 32 and 33 creates a plateau surface 36 in the vicinity of holes 21 against which the head 37 of bolt 21) can be suitably urged. This spaces the actual contact of metal, i.e. the plate and bolt, from bearing contact against the glass surface. Moreover, the inwardly directed ridges 32 and 33 can be located in suitably spaced relation to the transversely disposed relieved areas 16, which may be either circular or rectangular, in the support plate 12 to set up equal pressure areas around the holes 18 in the glass sheet. Additionally, provision of the inwardly directed ridges 30, 31, 32 and 33 together with an outwardly directed ridge 38.increases the total rigidity of the plate 14 against longitudinal flexing action.

To thoroughly compare the superiority of the improved mounting structure to prior art structures heretofore considered acceptable, severe tests have been conducted. Suc-h tests consisted in first mounting a glass sheet by its lower marginal edge in the prior art mounting structure with the structure supported on a pivotal frame. The frame was then repeatedly dropped from progressively increased heights and caused to strike a fixed surface. At the instant of impact, the unsupported major portion of the 'body of the glass whips violently downward with the force of the impact being absorbed in the secured lower marginal edge. The same tests were then repeated employing a mounting structure as disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The results of these comparative tests indicate that glass sheets carried by the mounting structure of this invention withstood the force of impacts resulting from free falling from considerably greater heights than glass sheets carried by the prior art structure and this was found equally true with a clamping plate provided solely with the longitudinally disposed ridges 30 and 31 or with a plate provided with ridges 30 and 31 and the transverse ridges 32 and 33. As indicated above, the ridges 30 to 33 inclusive create the plateaus 36 which space the actual areas of clamping force from the adjacent surface of the glass.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a window mounting structure, a glass sheet having a plurality of apertures spacedalong and inwardly from a marginal edge thereof, an elongated support plate opposite one surface of said sheet, a layer of resilient material between said support plate and said one surface, openings in said support plate in registry with said apertures in said sheet, ridge portions on the surface of said support plate facing said sheet, said ridge portions extending longitudinally of said elongatedv support plate on each side of said openings and substantially throughout the length of said support plate, an elongated clamping plate opposite the other surface of said sheet, a layer of resilient material between said clamping plate and said other surface, openings in said clamping plate in registry with said apertures and with said openings in said support plate, longitudinally extending ridge portions on the surface of the clamping plate facing said sheet on each side of the openings in said clamping plate, said ridges on said clamping plate extending substantially throughout the length thereof, and fastening means extending through said apertures and the openings in the support and clamping plates and urging said support and clamping plates into engagement with said sheet.

2. A mounting structure as defined in claim 1 in which the ridge portions on said clam-ping plate are offset from the respective ridge portions on said support plat 3. A window mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said longitudinally extending ridges on each side of the openings on said support and clamping plates are substantially parallel, and including additional ridges extending transversely between said longitudinally extending ridges on said support and clamping plates.

4. A window mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, including a resilient grommet member. surrounding said fastening means within each said aperture.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,599,856 9/1926 Wells 351142 1,840,787 1/1932 Nerney 351150 2,181,365 11/1939 Cozzens 35l145 X 2,208,356 7/1940 Bosworth 351-l 2,576,392 11/1951 Downes 52-208 2,939,186 6/1960 Norwood et al. 52-208 X 3,050,332 8/1962 Arnold 296-4401 FOREIGN PATENTS 260,624 6/1913 Germany.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

W. E. HEATON, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A WINDOWN MOUNTING STRUCTURE, A GLASS SHEET HAVING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES SPACED ALONG AND INWARDLY FROM A MARGINAL EDGE THEREOF, AN ELONGATED SUPPORT PLATE OPPOSITE ONE SURFACE OF SAID SHEET, A LAYER OF RESILIENT MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT PLATE AND SAID ONE SURFACE, OPENINGS IN SAID SUPPORT PLATE IN REGISTRY WITH SAID APERTURES IN SAID SHEET, RIDGE PORTIONS ON THE SURFACE OF SAID SUPPORT PLATE FACING SAID SHEET, SAID RIDGE PORTIONS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID ELONGATED SUPPORT PLATE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID OPENINGS AND SUBSTANTIALLY THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF SAID SUPPORT PLATE, AN ELONGATED CLAMPING PLATE OPPOSITE THE OTHER SURFACE OF SAID SHEET, A LAYER OF RESILIENT MATERIAL BETWEEN SAID CLAMPING PLATE AND SAID OTHER SURFACE, OPENINGS IN SAID CLAMPING PLATE IN REGIS-

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